Why 113 Wagner Café is Baguio’s unofficial engagement capital

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – In the City of Pines, where the breeze is cool and romance often lingers like morning fog, a quiet street named Wagner hides something even sweeter than strawberry taho.

A garden gate on this unassuming side street leads you not just to a restaurant, but to what locals now half-jokingly call the engagement center of Baguio. 

Welcome to 113 Wagner Café, where the flowers bloom, the toast crunches just right, and love is very much on the menu.

“We’ve had 212 engagements here,” shared owner Techie Maravillas Pantaleon, with a laugh that carries the weight of a love story she never saw coming. “And 90% of our guests are celebrating something — birthdays, anniversaries, even Valentine’s. It makes our work super meaningful.”

Techie, who’s also behind the beloved Everything Nice cafe, couldn’t have predicted that the pandemic would redirect her path from mall café queen to host of one of the most romantic hideaway in the city. 

When COVID shuttered her café, she didn’t wallow. Instead, she planted, literally.

“I became a plantita during the pandemic,” she said. “I was a single mom of seven, always on the go. So I stayed home. Then I met Kiko Villalba, who was fixing gardens. Then I met chef Rudolph Cabuay. I feel like God directed me to this project.”

And what a project it is.

What used to be a private home has transformed into an intimate dining garden — lush, serene, and seemingly made for slow meals and big feelings. You walk down narrow steps into a space where time seems to pause.

“Those narrow steps? They’re intentional,” said Kiko Villalba, who designed the garden. “They make you slow down. You can’t rush through this place. You need to look, to breathe, to feel. When people appreciate the garden, that’s the happiest part for me.”

With a 55-seat cap and dining strictly by reservation, 113 Wagner doesn’t try to be a mainstream hotspot. And yet, it’s become the place for engagements, intimate celebrations, and just slowing down over good food. Which brings us to brunch.

Yes, brunch, Techie’s personal favorite, and now the latest offering at 113 Wagner. We got first dibs on the entire brunch menu, and here’s the verdict: come hungry, stay dreamy.

The Salmon Eggs Benedict is a standout, but it’s the humble cereal-coated kaya toasties with cheese that stole the show. Sweet, salty, crispy, comforting, like a hug from someone who knows exactly what you need.

Their lemon butter skillet pancake is sunshine on a plate, while the savory version topped with mortadella and balsamic vinaigrette will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about pancakes.

Chef Rudolph Peter Cabuay, who has cooked for big-city palates at places like Aubergine in BGC, says they’re not doing fine dining.

“We serve food for sharing. Platters. Comfort food. It only looks fancy because of the setting,” he explained. “We elevate the dishes sometimes — Valentine’s, for example. But really, we’re feeding hearts, not just stomachs.”

And hearts, clearly, are full at 113 Wagner.

Brunch sets include the hearty Agahan (hello, garlic tapa and mango yoghurt), the indulgent Hearty Mornings (homemade bacon, cinnamon butter, baked beans with mozzarella), and the Gourmet Delight, which lets you sample kaya toast, yoghurt, salmon, and pancakes — all in one glorious spread.

Lunch and dinner? Also by reservation, and just as thoughtfully crafted. Think Angus steak, slow-roasted beef short plate, Neptune’s Catch pasta, and panna cotta that’s not too sweet, not too fancy, just right.

As for the ambiance, it’s magic without trying too hard. Guests arrive in flowy dresses and crisp linen not because of a dress code (there isn’t one), but because the place demands a little reverence. You’ll want to look your best. After all, you might be sitting next to someone about to propose.

“We didn’t plan this as an engagement venue,” Techie said. “But it turns out that when you create something with love, people bring their love into it.”

113 Wagner Café is open Thursday to Sunday for brunch (9 am–11 am or 11:30 am to 1:30 pm), and regularly for lunch and dinner by reservation. Book through their Instagram or Facebook page. But maybe don’t come on a first date, unless you’re already shopping for rings.

Because if you’re not in love when you walk through that gate, there’s a good chance you will be by dessert. – Rappler.com